The year has been packed with news, from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to growth and housing issues to a long and devastating fire season with forced the evacuation of area residents.

Over the next several days, the Daily Bee will review the top stories of the year, listed in no particular order, as well as several "honorable mentions" from both the region as well as closer to home in Bonner County.

In addition to the pandemic and growth, others stories making the headlines include the fire season, the Festival and city of Sandpoint prevailing in a pair of lawsuits over the summer music series ban on guns at Memorial Field. Also on the list are the arrest of a Sandpoint man in connection to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capital, the arrest of a Bonner County man on first-degree murder and cannibalism charges, a recount of the county's presidential ballots, the sentence of a Coeur d'Alene woman for the 2017 murder of the former Hope city clerk, the sentence of a man in connection to a 34-year-old cold murder case, and approval of and funding for improvements to the Lakeshore Drive intersection where it meets U.S. 95 at the south end of the Long Bridge.

Also approval of an initiative signature drive after the Idaho Supreme Court ruled the Legislature's restrictions to the initiative process were illegal. In addition, the discovery and return of the city's former bell, boundary line adjustments in the Coolin area, a midwife sentenced for the death of an infant, a Title IX complaint against the Lake Pend Oreille School District, a pair of county residents seeking the governor's seat, the city's first Pride event, accreditation concerns at North Idaho College, the rescue of a teen and her father, dismissal of murder charges against a Bonners Ferry chiropractor, a murder charge against a man accused of shooting his girlfriend in the head while she was driving, and a formal complaint against a Boundary County site created by a former comedian.

• Pandemic continues to dominate headlines

As during 2020, the pandemic continued to be a major story, from the region to the state to the world. 

From anti-mandate resolutions and protests to the implementation of crisis standards of care, both in North Idaho and the state as a whole, the pandemic has again dominated the news. 

After several delays and controversy,  Bonner County commissioners approved an anti-mandate resolution warning that the county will do everything in its legal power to reject any kind of mandate. 

The resolution, which only has effect over areas under county jurisdiction, was necessary to take a stand against overreach by federal or state officials, commissioners said in approving the resolution.

COVID-related restrictions by Governor Brad Little prompted a backlash among legislators who criticized them as a power grab and eventually led to efforts to attempt to unwind the emergency declaration and subsequent restrictions. Little would go on to veto two bills proposed by the Legislature earlier in the session that would have limited a governor’s ability to guide Idaho through emergencies.

In addition, mask mandates by local health and library districts prompted protests at local council, school board and library meetings.

Federal vaccination and testing rules would prompt lawsuits by several states, including Idaho, which contended that the federal government had no say over what officials insist is a state issue.

The measures resulted in a special session by the Idaho Legislature in mid-November on vaccination mandates to combat an executive order made by the Biden administration on Sept. 9. The order caused Gov. Brad Little, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, and other state officials to send a letter to Biden threatening legal action if he did not rescind the order. 

A mid-October ranking by WalletHub rated Idaho as being the worst in the nation for COVID safety, giving the state just 5.34 points in the survey, far lower than West Virginia, next lowest in 50th place, with 12.2 points. In comparison, Connecticut was first with 92 points and Massachusetts was second with 89.

WalletHub’s results were based on the rates of COVID-19 transmission, positive testing, hospitalizations and deaths, and the share of the eligible population getting vaccinated.

As the year approached its end, COVID case numbers were again on the decline; however, the omicron variant was beginning to make its presence felt in the country.

This is the first part of a series of stories on the top news in 2021.